Flying-machine



N. CARTUS.

` FLYING MACHINE. `APPL|cAT|oN HLEU APR. 29. 1919.

Patented D00. 16,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR W N. CARTUS.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLlcAloN min APn.29.1919.

Patented Decfl, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- FIC-LE.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NICHOLAS CARTUS, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLYING-MACHIN E.

Application led April 29, 1919.

To all whom z' may concern Be it known that I, NICHOLAS CAR'rUs, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of l/Vilkinsburg, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Flying- Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to flying machines and has special reference to amachine which can be arranged for operation of movement in the air or onthe highways, when desired.

`The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple and eflicientflying machine, which will be of small and compact form, will enable avertical movement of the same into the air for flying purposes fromwhere it is positioned on the ground or other point of location, willenable its planes to be so arranged that they can be easily and quicklyplaced in position for the vertical raising of the machine for flyingpurposes, or folded for any purpose, such as for traveling along ahighway or other place desired, and will also enable other planes orshields to act in such vertical raising and as rudders for the machinewhen desired inflying.

To these ends my invention consists, generally stated, in the novelarrangement, construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter morespecifically set forth and described and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains toconstruct and use my improved flying machine, I will describe the samemore fully referring to the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved flying machine, showing the wingsor planes in their raised position and with some of the parts brokenaway;

Fig. Q is a front end View of the machine, showing the planes in theirdownward or lowered position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan View of the device for operating thepropellers;

Fig. 4 is a section of the same on the line 4,--4 Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in section, of the fuel feeding means;and

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the starting device for the side propellers.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

serial No. 293,427.

Like symbols of reference herein indicate like parts in each of thefigures of the drawings.

As illustrated in the drawii'igs, my improved fiying machine is shown atA and is provided with the fuselage or body 1 which is preferably formedof wood or other suitable material, and is of the usual hollow formhaving a point-nose 2 at the front end of the same. The machine A isprovided with the usual wheels a, which are mounted under the fuselage 1and act to support the machine, and which wheels are pivotally mountedin a frame b on said fuselage, as at c, so that the machine can beguided thereby and by any suitable mechanism connected therewith in caseit is desired, such as when the machine is traveling along a highway orother such place.

Extending out through the front end 2 of the fuselage 1 is the propeller8, which is of the usual form and is secured to a shaft l extendingthrough said front end into said fuselage. On each side and exteriorlyof the fuselage l is a propeller 5, which propellers are mounted on ashaft 6 extending through and across said fuselage, and such shaft andpropellers are preferably positioned slightly back of the center of saidfuselage. Mounted around each of the shafts 4 and 6 within the fuselage1, is a turbine or paddle wheel 7, which has a casing S around the same,and is provided with a series of shelves or paddles 9. At one side ofeach of the casings 8 is an explosion box 10, which opens into eachcasing, as at 11, and is provided with the inclined chute 12 within thesame for directing the explosion flame upwardly from said box againstthe paddles 9. An electric battery 13 is placed within the fuselage lfor each of said explosion boxes 10, and such batteries connect withsaid boxes by means of the wires 14 leading therefrom to the spark plugs13 on said boxes. The spark is obtained between the batteries 13 and theexplosion boxes 10 by means of contact points 14: on the easing 8 whichare connected by the wires 14 and such points are engaged by the ends ofthe shelves or paddles 9 in said casing. A fuel tank 15 is placed withinthe fuselage 1 for each of the front and rear explosion boxes 10, andsuch tanks are adapted to hold gasolene or other such fuel for beingsupplied to said boxes to operate the wheels 7 and shafts 4L and 6connected therewith, as hereinafter described.

On each side of the fuselage 1 is a movable wing 16, which is hinged at17 to a stationary wing 18 extending horizontally from each side of saidfuselage, and is adapted to be raised and lowered to a horizontal andvertical position by means of a cable or chain 19 connected to saidwings 16 and passing over pulleys 20 mounted on the wings 18. This chain19 is connected to and passes around a windlass 20 on a shaft 21 mountedin the fuselage 1, which shaft extends up vertically in front of thedashboard 22, and is provided with a gear wheel 3 meshing with a gearwheel 23 on a shaft 21 for operating the chain 19. The shaft 21 extendsthrough the dash-board 22 and is provided with a wheel 24 on the end ofthe same in the rear of said dash-board for operating said chain 19 inthe raising and lowering of the wings 16.

0n each side of the fuselage 1 is a movable wind shield 25, which ispivoted or hinged to said fuselage, as at 26, and said shields areadapted to extend vertically from said fuselage when in their openpositions in order to enable the machine A to go up straight into theair from where it stands or ground position, as hereinafter described,and also to act as rudders in guiding the machine when iying. Connectedat one end to each of the shields is a curved arm 27, which extendsthrough the sides of the fuselage 1, and into the same adjacent to thedash-board 22, where their inner ends are provided with a handle 28 formoving said shields into the outward position, as above' described, andalso into an inward or folded position against the sides of the fuselagewhen not in use.

An operators seat 29 is placed back of the dash-board 22 in the fuselage1, and the starter for the front propeller 3 is connected to the innerend of said propellers shaft 4 by means of a rod 29 which has a conicalshaped socket 30 at its outer end for engagement with a like-shapedportion 31 on said shaft end and such rod passes through said dash-boardand has a handle or wheel 32 at its other end adjacent said seat foroperating the same. The starter for the rear propellers is operated bythe same mechanism,

except the rod 29 has a rack 30 at the end for engaging with a gearwheel 31 mounted on the shaft 6 for said propellers and its opposite endextends under the seat 29 and is pivotally connected to a pivotedfoot-lever 32 for being pushed back by the operator in turning saidshaft.

The fuel supply to the explosion boxes 10 is effected by the device Cthrough the exhaust from the turbines or paddle wheels 7 through a pipe33 leading from the casing 8 around said wheels and connected to a fan34 of any suitable construction and such exhaust after operating saidfan passes out of the same to the open air through a pipe 33. The fan 34is provided with a shaft 35 having a hammer or knocker 36 at one endwhich is adapted to engage with the outer end 37 of a plunger 38operating within a casing 39. This plunger 38 has a spiral spring 40between the end 37 and the end of the casing 39 and the inner hollow end38 of said plunger has a valve 41 for engaging with a seat 42 in one endof a tubular or pipe portion 43 connected to the other end of saidcasing and leading into the explosion box 10. An air port 44 leads intothe casing 39 and into the hollow portion 38 on the plunger 38, and afuel supply pipe 45 leads from the fuel tank 15 and is provided with a`valve 46 in the same which is connected by a shaft 47 with a gear wheel48 meshing with a rack 49 on a rod 50. This rod 50 extends through thedashboard 22 where it is provided with a lever 51 for operation by theoperator from the seat 29.

When it is desired to use and operate my improved flying machine A, froma resting or ground position, the operator seated on the seat 29 willproceed to fold down the wings 16 to a vertical position against thesides of the fuselage 1 by turning the shaft 21 in the proper directionthrough the handle or wheel 24, which will allow the cord or chai-n 19connected to said wings to unwind from around the windlass 20 by meansof the gear wheel 23 on said shaft engaging with the gear wheel 23 onthe vertical shaft 21 carrying said windlass. The hinged wind shields 25are also forced outward from the sides of the fuselage 1 by means of theoperator pushing on the han dles 28, and such handles being on the endsof the curved arms 27 and such arms being connected at their other endsto the said shields, such shields will thus act to form pockets Bbetween the same, the fuselage and the folded wings 16 for keeping theair boxed up therein to enable the inachine to go up into the air in astraight or von tical line from its resting or ground position. This isaccomplished by means of the side propellers 5 in the pockets B whichare started by the operator pushing forward on the treadle 32', therebypulling forward the rod 29 and rack 30 thereon and turning the shaft 6carrying said propellers through the gear wheel 31 on said shaftengaging with said rack. Before starting the propellers 5, the operatorhas previously moved the rod 50 in the proper direction through thelever 51, so that the rack 49 on said rod engaging with the gear wheel48 connecting with the valve 46 through the shaft 47 will open up saidvalve and allow the fuel from the fuel tank 15 to pass through the pipe45 into the casinoP 39, where it will mix with air entering sai cas-Ying through the port 44 and be intermittently forced into the explosionbox 10 through the tubular portion 43 by means of the valve 41 on theplunger 38 engaging with the valve seat 42 on the end of said tubularportion, as hereinafter described. After thus entering the explosion box10, the explosive mixture will be exploded by the electric battery 13connecting the plug 13 on said box and forced through the opening 11 inthe casing 8 and upwardly against the paddles 9 of the turbine 7 bymeans of the inclined chute 12, so that such turbine Will be thusrevolved in said casing, and the waste gases from such explosions willpass from the said turbine and casing through the pipe 33 to the fan 34,thereby rotating the shaft 35 connected to said fan and the hammer orknocker 36 on the end of said shaft. As such hammer 36 thus turns orrotates it will knock against the end 37 of the spring controlledplunger 38 to move said plunger in the casing 39 and force the valve 41on said plunger against and away from the seat 42 on the inner end ofthe pipe 43, so that upon the opening of said valve the fuel and airmixture entering said casinothrough the fuel pipe 45 and air port 44Will pass through the said pipe into the explosive box 10 and beexploded therein, as hereinbefore described.

After the machine A has thus been raised vertically and it is desired tooperate the same to allow it to move through the air in flying thesupply of explosive mixture to the explosive box 10 for operating thepropellers 5vis shut off by closing the fuel passing through the supplypipe 45 through the operation of moving the rod 50 in the properdirection, which will rotate the gear Wheel 4S by reason of it engagingWith the rack 49 on said rod and also rotate the shaft 47 connectingsaid gear Wheel with the valve 46 in said pipe 45 and thus. close saidvalve. By thus closing the valve 46 the explosive mixture supplied tothe explosive box 10 will be shut off, so that the turbine 7 operated bysaid mixture Will cease to rotate and thus stop the rotation of thepropellers 5, While the Waste gases from said mixture to the fan 34 fromthe casing S around said turbine for operating the plunger 38 throughthe hammer 36 onA the fan shaft 35 engaging with the said plunger willbe also shut off and thereby stop said plunger from supplying themixture to said box, as above described. The wings 16 are also raised toa horizontal position by the operator turning the shaft 21 through theWheel 24, which Will turn the shaft 21 through the gears 23 and 23 andthus Wind up the chain 19 connecting said wings over the pulleys 20 andaround the Windlass 20.

The operator can noW move the machine A along through the air by meansof the propeller 3, which is rotated on its shaft 4 by the turbine 7connected thereto and With the explosive mixture supplied to itsexplosion box through the front fuel supply device C and which isoperated in the same manner as hereinbefore described for the rearpropellers 5, and through the front rod 50 connected thereto. Thestarting of the front propeller 3 is effected by the operator turning orrotating on the Wheel or handle 32, which being attached to the rod 29will cause the socket 30 on the front end of said rod engaging theportion 31 on the front propeller shaft 4 to turn said shaft and With itthe propeller 3 to start such propeller. During such flying of themachine through the air the Wings 16 when horizontal will act as theusual planes for the machine, and the shields 25 can act as rudders toguide the machine, and they can easily be operated as such by theoperator through the curved arms 27 attached to such shields being closeat hand.

lVhen it is desired to move the machine A along a highway through themedium of the Wheels a, either the front propeller 3 or the sidepropeller 5 can be operated to move the machine and the Wings 16 can befolded down against the sides of the fuselage l in order that suchmachine will take up less space in its Width.

Various modifications and changes in the design, construction andoperation of my improved flying machine may be resorted to, Withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of itsadvan tages.

It will thus be seen that my improved flying machine is capable of easyand convenient operation at all times and all operating parts are soarranged as to be Within easy and convenient handling by the operatorwhen desired. The machine is also capable of being arranged so as toprovide seating capacity for a number ofpassengers and aivay from theoperator and operating parts, and the machine is also capable ofdeveloping great horse power and speed in the raising of the same orflying with great Wing space.

llVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. A iiying machine, comprising a body or fuselage, stationary Wingsextending horizontally from each side of said fuselage, movable Wingsconnected to said stationary Wings, pulleys on said stationary Wings, aWindlass mounted on a shaft, a chain connected to said movable Wings andpassing over said pulleys and around said Windlass, an operating shaftin said fuselage, and gearing between said shafts for moving said firstnamed shaft and said chain over said pulleys and around said Windlass toraise said movable wings to a line with said stationary wings and lowerthe same to a verti- Cal position therefrom.

2. A flying machine, comin-ising a body or fuselage, power operatedpropellers on eaeh side of said fuselage, movable wings above saidpropellers adapted to extend horizontally from the sides of saidfuselage and to a folded vertical position, and means for forming an airpocket between said fuselage and said wings when folded for theoperation of said propellers therein.

A flying machine comprising a body or fuselage, power operatedpropellers on each side of said fuselage, stationary wings above saidpropellers and extending horizontally from the sides of said fuselage,movable wings connected to said stationary wings and adapted to extendout in line with said stationary wings and to a folded verticalposition, and means for forming an air pocket between said fuselage andsaid stationary and movable wings when folded for the operation of saidpropellers therein.

l. A iying machine, comprising a body or fuselage, power operatedpropellers on each side of said fuselage, stationary wings above saidpropellers and extending horizontally from the sides of said fuselage,movable wings connected to said stationary wings and adapted to extendout in line with said stationary wings and to a folded verticalposition, and a movable wind shield under said stationary wings andadapted to extend vertically in front of said propellers for forming anair pocket between said fuselage and said stationary and movable wingswhen folded for the operation of said propellers therein.

5. A flying machine, comprising a body or fuselage, power operatedpropellers on each side of said fuselage, stationary wings above saidpropellers and extending hori- Zontally from the sides of said fuselage,movable wings connected to said stationary wings and adapted to extendout in line with said stationary wings and to a folded verticalposition, a movable wind shield hinged to the sides of said fuselage andunder said stationary wings, said shield being adapted to extendvertically in front of said propellers for forming an air pocket betweensaid fuselage and said stationary and movable wings when folded for theoperation of said propellers therein, aud

means for moving said shield outward to form said pocket and inward to afehled position against said fuselage.

6. A flying machine, comprising a body or fuselage, power operatedpropellers on each side of said fuselage, stationary wings above saidpropellers and extending hori- Zontally from the sides of said fuselage,mo able wings connected to said statifiinary wings and adapted to extendout in line with said'stationary wings and to a folded verticalposition, a movable wind shield hinged to the sides of said fuselage andunder said stationary wings, said shield being adapted to extendvertically in front of said propellers for forming an air pocket betweensaid fuselage and said stationary and movable wings when folded for theoperation of said propellers therein, and a curved arm connected to saidshield and extending into said fuselage for moving said shield outwardto form said pocket and inward to a folded position against saidfuselage.

In testimony whereof I, the said NICHOLAS Camus, have hereunto set myhand.

NICHOLAS CARTUS.

lVitnesses J. M. GEOGHEGAN, J. N. Coene.

